The Pazla Crisis 1: The Hidden Planet
by Kelly of the midnight dawn
Summary: A new threat to the galaxy emerges on a planet that has remained hidden for millennia. Questions abound and answers are few and far between as Luke and Mara rush to answer the planet's cry for help. Definitly AU. Timeline 15 ABY Luke/Mara Han/Leia OC/OC
1. Chapter 1: It Begins

**The Pazla Crisis 1: The Hidden Planet**

**Chapter 1: It Begins**

**Disclaimer: If I owned them current canon would look a lot different.**

**A/N: Okay, I'm going to give this a try. I've created a planet in the Unknown Regions. I've named it Pazla and populated it with original characters and mostly original flora and fauna. I've developed a plotline that will bring Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade to this planet. I have hopefully written these two characters in character. Now I am posting it on this site and praying that you wonderful people will tell me that you like it.**

**So the first couple of chapters will be primarily Pazla and what is going on there but there will still be some Luke and Mara. Hopefully, people will not hate my original characters.**

**Canon wise, the events of the movies, the events of "The Truce at Bakura" and the events of the Thrawn trilogy happened, other than that, I have no idea what canon is so there.**

**As for "Breaking Destiny's Bonds" and the "Inexplicable Circumstances" series, I will be returning to those, I just had this in my head and it begged me to start it and see what people thought of the idea.**

**One last thing, as much as BDB might make it look like I'm all about the happy family fluffy happiness, I have a thing for putting my main characters through hell. I have a thing for causing deep emotional, physical and psychological pain. And Luke Skywalker has been begging me to show him my powers and I sort of want to test out how much angst both Luke and Mara can take, so consider that a warning. You will also notice the 1 in this story's title. I do hope that with this new planet that I have enough material for at least three stories.**

Pazla was founded by a group of humans in 5,000 BBY. The five ships, containing a total of 40,000 individuals landed on a planet several tens of thousands of light years from the Core Worlds. In the early days of Pazla, the settlers maintained contact with their world of origin. Later Pazla would have a seat in the Galactic Senate.

Pazla's leadership later became disenfranchised with the Senate and through the work of a team of Pazlaian agents, the existence of the planet was erased from the relatively primitive mainframes of that era. The people of Pazla were free to live their lives in Galactic anonymity. They had no enemies in the known galaxy and so their existence was slowly forgotten among them.

Some Pazlaian youths still ventured off their home world from time to time but they kept the location of their planet a closely guarded secret, much like the Alderaanians would do with New Alderaan millennia later.

Left to their own devices, the Pazlaians thrived. The Pazlaians developed a system of government similar to the Galactic Senate. Each city elected an official to the Council.

While they remained relatively isolated from the galaxy those youths who ventured off planet returned with news of the galaxy and so the Council remained informed for the most part. When news of the rise of the Empire reached the Council, a ban on interstellar travel was enacted. All space craft were dismantled.

Some among the humans born on Pazla were Force-sensitive. Those who displayed skills in the Force had been sent to the Jedi until news of the Empire reached Pazla. After the ban on interstellar travel those with abilities in the Force went untrained, their powers became dull from misuse.

In 15 ABY a threat showed itself, a threat so terrifying that the Pazlaian Council lifted the ban on interstellar travel and sent an envoy out into the galaxy to find help among the planets that had once been loyal to the Old Republic.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The city of Pazzana on the peaceful world of Pazla was bathed in sunlight that day. Students of Pazzana's famous University were strolling around the sprawling campus, holding hands, smiling, chatting and laughing.

At the Pazzana Council Complex, several of the officials had decided to take their midday meals outside. The high marble columns that towered above the pristinely manicured courtyards were truly a sight to behold.

Beholding them at that moment was Pana Sal. The newly elected representative from the small three village fishing community collectively known as the Darga Union, in honor of the river they resided on, had just finished sitting through a seemingly unending session concerning the budget for the Sigtan Mountain Observatory Project. One of the more senior representatives, a middle aged man from Lumnar had staunchly stated that thirty-four years ago they had cut themselves off from the stars for a reason and why should they bother trying to make even this miniscule connection now.

Pana thought about that. She was too young to remember when her people had banned interstellar travel. She remembered the stories though. Her father had often pointed to the nighttime sky when she was little. "Pana," he had told her "You will hear so many things about the galaxy out there but don't believe any of it. It's a wondrous place. I only wish you could see it for yourself."

Her father had been a space fairing man years before. He had traveled all over the galaxy that was now off limits to the rest of those of Pana's generation. He had been a small boy when Pazla had withdrawn from the Republic. He had been one of the founding members of the Pazla Council and had been the only one to object to grounding all space travel when news of the Empire's emergence had reached their ears.

He had resigned from the Council five years later. Several political hopefuls from the Darga Union had filled his seat in the years between his resignation and Pana's election. At the age of twenty-two, she was by no means the youngest to have held the post.

"Day dreaming again, Pana?" a snide voice from behind her asked.

Pana turned to see Nach Viver standing there, his arms crossed upon his chest, his green eyes staring down at her and his features contorted into a smug expression of superiority. Pana sighed heavily, Viver had been a member of the Council at the same time she had. He was two years her senior. He represented the farming and textile community of Corzallez.

"Is it a crime to enjoy such a beautiful day?" she asked, forcing herself to withhold to the rules of decorum and putting on her most diplomatic face "Paz knows we won't get many days like this once Bleak comes."

Bleak was the Pazlaian equivalent of winter. Pazla had three seasons, Bleak, Alongar and Belleza; Belleza would soon be coming to an end and the cold chill and deep snow of Bleak would set in within the next couple of weeks.

Viver shook his head "I suppose not," he replied with forced politeness. He uncrossed his arms and took a seat on the bench beside Pana "What was your opinion of the budget request. It seems like Sigtan is always asking for money for something, don't you agree?"

"I believe that an observatory atop our tallest mountain makes sense," Pana defended "The request may have been a bit larger than the Council was expecting but that should not detract from the appeal."

"Oh please," Viver exclaimed "You only think that way because of all of your father's nonsense stories. Caudillo was right you know. We cut ourselves off from the stars. We already know as much about them as we need to."

"You are ignorant and cowardly," Pana stood up. Kaustus Caudillo was the Lumnar representative who had attempted to sow seeds of descent in the Council. It appeared that he had.

"The representative from Darga Union forgets herself," Viver muttered as Pana walked away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"An observatory," Guisa Sal murmured as he sat with his family at dinner "We shouldn't just be staring at the stars, we should be traveling to them."

The Council was in recess for the weekend and Pana had come home to spend the time with her family in the village of Caribassa. Caribassa along with Singobassa and Ussmal were the villages that made up the Darga Union.

Pana's mother Olima sighed as the family's orange and green furskit lay down at her feet. "Guisa, please; it's been months since we've gotten to spend any time with Pana, please don't make this about politics."

"This isn't about politics," Guisa contended "This is about human nature, the human nature to explore. When our ancestors came here millennia ago-"

"Not tonight Guisa," Olima said sharply "We've heard your views on this subject every night. You don't need to convince us."

"It's alright," Pana smiled softly "I don't mind."

"You may not mind," Pana's younger brother Zanath said as he surreptitiously fed a piece of his caspira fish to the furskit "But we've heard him give this same speech every night."

Pana groaned, rolling her eyes at the fourteen-year-old boy "Zanath, you know what Mother says about feeding Scallus from table," she said as revenge.

"Zanath," Olima said sharply, turning her attention to her son. Pana smiled triumphantly and quickly finished her meal.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that night, Pana went for a walk in the garden. Loyal Scallus padded after her. Her mind was full of thoughts. She would have liked to travel to the stars. Her mother had remarked on numerous occasions that she had inherited her father's adventurous spirit.

Pana looked up at the stars above her. She wondered what mysteries they held, mysteries that not even her father, the great Guisa Sal, didn't even have knowledge of. What sort of allies resided out there? What sort of opportunities to further the advancement of her people? What sorts of technology could they discover if the Council would simply allow them to build ships again and launch them?

Pana watched as the luminous butterflies flitted from anaris flower to anaris flower, sipping the nectar. The small insects were not afraid to venture beyond their homes to the gardens of the villages along the Darga River. They were not afraid of exploration, so why were the Pazlaian people so afraid?

Pana took a seat under the snapberry arbor and reached out, grabbing one of the remaining snapberries that had escaped being picked earlier in the season. She popped it into her mouth and savored the sweet taste as the berry crackled between her teeth.

Beside her on the bench, Scallus rose from his position curled up by her side and pricked up his ears. He let out a low rumble. Pana turned to him "What is it Scallus?" she enquired.

Scallus's rumble became a full on purr as he bounded off the bench into the arms of the visitor. "Hey Scallus," Kasha Tills smiled, ruffling the green and orange fur much to the furskit's delight.

"Kasha," Pana exclaimed happily as she rose and embraced her friend.

"It's good to see you Pana," the other young woman replied, smiling. Pana resumed her walk around the sprawling garden, chatting with Kasha as Scallus followed closely behind, glancing about protectively.

"I had a feeling you'd be here," Kasha smiled brightly.

"You and your feelings," Pana laughed "I never have to tell you when I'm coming home," Kasha had an uncanny ability that Pana could never understand. Her friend could sense when something was troubling her and it wasn't just that. Things that Pana couldn't explain seemed to happen when Kasha was around.

"How has the life of Darga Union's elected official been treating you?" Kasha asked.

"Alright I suppose," Pana shrugged "It's impossible to get anything done, the Council is all talk, hardly any action."

"You can't say that your father didn't warn you," Kasha laughed.

Pana nodded "Yes, but I always assumed that he was simply embittered by the Council's decision to ground space travelers."

"Pana," Kasha admonished "You should have known he wouldn't have been so petty."

"Still…" Pana shrugged again "He never misses an opportunity to remind me of how much better things were when Pazla was a member of the Galactic Senate, or to let me know of all the wonderful things that can come from traveling to those blasted stars of his." Pana's tone was world weary and tired.

"The stars belong to all of us Pana," Kasha reminded her "The night sky is for everyone."

Pana nodded "Remember when we used to pretend that we were space travelers?" she asked with the hint of a smile on her face.

"Yeah," Kasha smiled "You, me and Mikk would spend hours in that old hull of a ship in your father's shed."

"How has Mikk been?" Pana questioned. Mikk Rashan was one of her dear childhood friends. He had been a willing participant in all of the mischief that she and Kasha could cook up.

Kasha's expression became serious "I thought you'd heard."

Pana stopped in her tracks and turned to Kasha "Heard what?" she asked, pointedly.

"He got a job sheering sniggles at a farm in Corzallez," Kasha informed her.

"Why didn't you send communication to Pazzana?" Pana asked.

"I did," Kasha told her "I attempted to reach you at your residence. The droid that handles messages for your complex must not have informed you that I called."

Pana groaned. A-2PO was an old droid that had been passed down through generations of politicians that had occupied that particular residence facility. The droid was an antique, more suited as a museum piece than anything else. No droid factories on Pazla made protocol droids. The droids that came off the assembly lines these days were for textile work and computer maintenance. Pana resolved to have a rather firm word with the droid when she returned to Pazzana.

"When did he leave?" Pana asked.

"Only three weeks ago," Kasha answered.

"Have you heard from him since?" Pana asked.

Kasha thought for a moment as they stood in the middle of the garden, luminous butterflies circling overhead "No," she finally said "Come to think of it, I haven't."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mikk Rashan ran through the forest. There was no other way to reach Caribassa. He had to get there, he had to tell Pana and her father what had happened. They would understand, well he wasn't sure they could make anymore sense of the events he had witness than he could but they would understand what had to be done.

He had run as far as he could and he collapsed against a tree. He fought to catch his breath. Every time he closed his eyes he could still see the lightening that had struck without warning, the farmhouse with its occupants trapped inside, burning. The screams, he did not need to close his eyes to hear the screams.

Pana and her father would be able to help, not because of their affiliation with the council but because Pana's father would know what had to be done. Mikk had heard Pana's father's stories of Jedi and Sith ever since he was a small boy.

He knew what that lightening was, though he could not make heads nor tales of how a Sith had gotten to Pazla and not been noticed. He knew that Pazla faced an awful threat and they needed help, help that they would find in the greater galaxy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tens of thousands of light years away in an apartment on Coruscant, Luke Skywalker paced the floor. He had seen something in his dreams only a few days before. The vision had troubled him. It had been eleven years since the Emperor had been defeated.

"Stop pacing already," his would be assassin turned good friend, Mara Jade commanded with undisguised irritation in her tone.

Luke turned to look at her, seeing the look on her face, he dropped into a chair and began drumming his fingers on the tabletop absentmindedly.

"I think I preferred the pacing," Mara muttered a minute and a half later.

"Sorry," Luke apologized as he got control over his unruly organic fingers. His cybernetic hand did not have that same tendency.

"So what was it you saw?" Mara asked in a tone that told him her patience was growing thin. She'd been sharing an apartment with him for six months and he had been companionable enough of a roommate that she hadn't had much to complain about but now, she could feel his anxiety and unease coming off him in waves even without the aid of the Force.

It had taken her three hours this night to coax it out of him that he'd seen something and it had been another hour that he had spent pacing the floor without telling her a single thing.

Luke sat in the chair, not saying anything for a long time, his eyes were fixed on the carpet. He replayed the vision in his mind. A dark cavern, someone he didn't recognize standing at the far end, sneering at him, gleaming yellow eyes, the eyes of a Sith. He had felt the pain of so many beings around him. People were dying, hundreds, no thousands of people, dying and he couldn't stop it.

"Hey Farmboy," Mara waved a hand in front of his face. She was very nearly fed up with trying to coax the information out of him. If it wasn't for the fact that he was so deeply troubled, she wouldn't have been trying at all.

"Oh," he said, looking up at her. He felt the weights of those deaths, deaths of people who for all he knew, were still alive, upon him.

Mara stood up and turned towards her bedroom. She didn't know what it was that possessed her to turn back. The waves of anxiety were just the same as they had been before but there was something else, sorrow… perhaps… fear. No, but there it was again, a definite fear was creeping through Luke.

She sighed and dropped into the seat she had been previously occupying "Tell me what it is that you saw?" she asked.

There was something sincere in her tone. Luke looked up "There is a new darkness in the galaxy," he whispered "And I don't think I will be able to stop it."

"Of course you won't be if you think like that," Mara told him, rising again "It's late, go get some sleep," she said briskly.

"Goodnight Mara," Luke called though he made no indications of leaving the chair in which he sat.

At the door to her room she turned and said in a soft, understanding tone that very few people ever heard her speak in "When the time comes to face this new darkness you believe is coming, you won't be alone," with those words, the door to her room slid closed.

Luke smiled softly in spite of himself as he stared at the now closed door. His loyal astromech droid, R2-D2 came over and stood beside him. The droid tooted and whistled something that Luke seemed to understand.

"Yeah," he agreed, patting the droid on his dome "It is late. Maybe I will try to sleep." R2 whistled and tooted something else and Luke chuckled "You're more of a mother hen than 3PO." He received an indignant razz from R2. Luke chuckled again, patting the droid's dome once more "Goodnight buddy."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darkness, a cold, stomach turning darkness, it surrounded her on all sides. She did not recognize this place. She tried to look around but the darkness obscured all but two figures. One she knew and was very familiar with. The other was foreign to her. She could feel darkness emanating from him.

The familiar figure was speaking to her, familiar blue eyes seemed unable to break their gaze from hers even though the dark one was standing dangerously close, within striking distance of him. "Run!" he shouted and suddenly the vision began to twist and turn, becoming a cacophony of sound and fear.

"Who is your friend?" she could hear the stranger calling as the visages swirled before her. The familiar one's face was one of shock, perhaps terror. Was it possible that terror existed that he could not control?

"Run Mara!" he screamed and she saw his eyes pleading with her. But her legs would not obey her, she was frozen in place.

"Who is your friend, Skywalker?" the strangers voice, an evil voice, full of evil glee and the desire to inflict pain, asked as his face dominated Mara's vision.

"Leave her alone!" Luke yelled and suddenly Mara was looking at him again, watching the fear in his face grow exponentially. The next thing she knew, there was a burst of light, no, not light, lightening, Sith lightening. She saw Luke collapse to the ground, unready for the attack.

All she saw dissolved into total darkness, the laughter of the stranger remained, the inhumanly mirthful laughter of a Sith.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mara sat up in bed, breathing heavily, the sheets wrapped tight around her body. She waved a light on and glared at the chronometer. It was barely two hours since she had gone to bed. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed a robe and threw it on over her nightclothes. She silently waved her door open with the Force and moved into the common area.

Somehow, she had expected that Luke would still be there, sitting in the same chair she had left him in. The fact that he wasn't there caught her off guard. R2-D2 sat in a corner but Mara didn't believe that the droid was paying attention to her. He stood silently as if shut down for the night.

Mara slipped silently along the wall until she reached the door to Luke's room. She paused, knowing that this violated a barrier, some tenet of roommate code. She half turned in back in the direction of her own room. But there was something inside her that just had to know.

Noiselessly, she slid the door open with the Force and soundlessly entered, reaching out to Luke's presence just enough to make sure he was sleeping. The thought of him knowing she had come to check on him filled her with such mortification, she knew she would never live it down if he found out.

She could see the outline of Luke's figure, lying on the bed as she crept closer. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully. She could see his chest rising and falling steadily beneath the sheets. Her gaze moved to his face as she reached the bedside. Her Force senses were on high alert, making sure that he could not detect her presence.

His face bore an expression of distress, an expression that Mara had to admit, tugged at her heart painfully. She reached out with the Force again, stroking his presence with the calmest and most soothing energy she could conjure. She wondered if he was having another vision. It stood to reason that he was. She could feel pain through the connection that she and he had formed over the years. She felt distress and terror, abject, unbridled terror.

What in blazes was he seeing? Was it the same cold darkness that Mara had seen? She thought back to her own vision and the feelings that had possessed her to sneak into her roommate's bedroom in the middle of the night. She looked down upon Luke's sleeping and yet distressed face once again.

Suddenly a strange urge tugged at her. She longed to brush the blond bangs away from his eyes and lay a gentle kiss to his forehead. She pulled back quickly. Where had that come from? She backed out of the room and waved the door shut before heading to her own room. Maybe she could salvage what was left of her night's sleep. In the morning when she was well rested, thoughts like that wouldn't seep into her mind.


	2. Chapter 2: Fear

**The Pazla Crisis 1: The Hidden Planet**

**Chapter 2: Fear**

**A/N: Hey everyone. Because of some sort of glitch with the website, I can't be sure how many people read the first chapter. I don't want to be someone who begs for reviews but it would really help me out here. I am actually pretty happy about this story and I want to know if others are enjoying it. So if you have the time, a review would be much appreciated. Thank you.**

Pana awoke early the next morning to the sounds of someone moving about in the living area of the house. She pulled herself from the warm and inviting sniggle's wool blankets of her bed and crept to the door of her room. As quietly as she could, she eased the door open and moved along the wall until she reached the living area. She saw her father gathering his boots and heavy coat as if Bleak had hit already with full force. But Pana knew that this could not be the case.

"Father," Pana cleared her throat softly as she took a step forward into the living area "Why do you choose to rise so early?"

Guisa Sal looked upon his daughter, feeling a lump forming in his throat. His gaze involuntarily moved to rest on the satchel that sat on the chair behind him. She had finally caught him at it. Lim guide him, she couldn't know why. Paz and Lim both protect her if she were to know. He found his voice finally "I have… important business to attend to Pana," he told her.

"Important business," Pana repeated, finally catching sight of the satchel behind her father "Will you be gone long?" she questioned.

"Not long my child," Guisa forced a smile "But I fear I will not return before you are required to depart Caribassa for Council."

Pana's expression fell "I had wished to spend time with you Father," she said sadly. "I will not be granted time away from Council for another month."

Guisa hugged his daughter "I will make it up to you," he promised "I will make arrangements to visit you in the city next month. It has been many years since I have traveled to Pazzana."

Pana nodded "I would like that," she smiled faintly.

"I must be going," Guisa said, slinging the satchel over his shoulder and giving his daughter a last peck on the cheek "Tell your Mother and brother that I will return within the week."

"I will," Pana promised "May Paz and Lim watch over your journey my good Father," she said as way of goodbye.

Guisa masked a world weary sigh. Paz and Lim had never blessed his journeys and he didn't blame them. Still he returned the farewell "And may they look upon you fondly in my absence my good daughter."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pana met up with Kasha in the Caribassa market place. She had delivered her father's message to her mother and brother and left soon afterwards, promising her mother that she would eat something once she reached the marketplace. The square, rimmed by shopkeepers and stalls was alive with chatter.

Pana bought a snapberry muffin from Derra Bentarzis, the local baker before she found Kasha admiring the dresses at Raenara Vystle's shop. Pana offered a smile to Raenara as she entered "Good morning," she said with a small bow of her head "May Paz shine upon you."

"No need for formalities Pana. We're not in the halls of the Council Complex," Raenara replied, then looking out the shop window she added "It doesn't look like he's going to be shining upon anyone today though."

Pana laughed "It is a bit dreary for end of Belleza isn't it?"

"The temperature is lovely though," Kasha commented as she held up one of the garments in front of herself "What do you think Pana?" she asked her friend "For the New Moon Festival tomorrow."

"It's lovely," Pana told her friend. She turned to Raenara "So, who will be dressing as Paz and Lim in the parade this time?"

"They haven't said yet," Raenara replied "I heard that perhaps they would ask Derra and her husband but she says that they've done it too many times this year already."

"Perhaps they will ask you to do it Pana," Kasha suggested.

Pana blushed. She had never in her adult life been selected to dress as Lim in the New Moon Festival parade. When she was a child of ten, she had been selected to be Lim in the school parade but on the day of the parade, she had fallen ill with manchaska fever and had not been able to fulfill her role. Not since then had she even allowed herself to dream of having that great honor again.

"I'm sure that there are far more worthy candidates than I Kasha," Pana said with humility.

"Nevertheless," Raenara smiled "You will be attending the parade I assume and it wouldn't hurt you to be wearing one of my fine dresses when you do. The representative of Darga Union must always look her best," she waved a finger in Pana's direction.

Pana looked down at her peasant weave skirt and her old homespun grey tunic and felt herself blush again. They had been the first articles of clothing she had laid her hands on that morning. She hadn't really put any thought into them; she had just been in a hurry to get out of the house and meet Kasha.

Raenara patted Pana on the shoulder "Don't fret my dear," she rifled through a row of dresses and pulled one out "With this, you will look very Lim like even from the sidelines."

Pana looked at the straight blue gown with its flowing sleeves and the white lace trim around the collar. It was very elegant and dignified. She agreed to try it on and within ten minutes was standing before the mirror glancing at her reflection while Raenara and Kasha looked on.

"I do believe Lim herself would approve," Kasha said with a teasing smirk.

Pana flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder as she continued to appraise her appearance. Her gray eyes, more the color of her homespun tunic than the elegant dress she now wore, locked onto the gray eyes of her reflection "I'll take it," she said finally.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You should be Lim," Kasha protested through a mouthful of her espivard salad "You should go to the Caribassa parade committee and demand it."

Pana laughed nervously as she snatched an espivard leaf from the edge of Kasha's plate "I will not demand something that I do not deserve," she replied evenly.

"You're too hard on your… what are you doing?" Kasha asked when she saw Pana take another espivard leaf from her plate.

"I asked for espivard on my sandwich and they didn't give it to me," Pana explained "Your salad is huge, you can spare a few leaves." Pana finished arranging the espivard atop her nerf steak and closed the sandwich.

Kasha sighed "If you must," she took another bite of her salad "Shouldn't you be mingling amongst your constituents Representative Sal?" she questioned a bit mockingly.

"I'll be doing that during the celebration tomorrow," Pana explained "It's just easier that way."

Kasha was about to respond when she felt something tug at her mind. It was an odd feeling, a feeling that she had experienced a few times before in her life, usually it turned out that the tug was attempting to direct her to something urgent. She let the tug guide her vision to the corner of the square. A few seconds later, Mikk appeared.

He was dirty, sweaty and he looked exhausted but she knew it was Mikk. Wordlessly she rose from the table. Pana was about to ask what she was doing but her gaze followed that of her friend's and she too was on her feet in seconds.

People around the square began to murmur amongst each other and move back from Mikk as he drew nearer to the center of the square. Only Kasha and Pana ran towards him.

"Mikk," Pana breathed as she caught her friend before he collapsed completely. She held him in her arms and supported him as best she could as Kasha looked for any signs of injury.

"Pana," Mikk gasped, clinging tight to the fabric of her old gray homespun with fingers that appeared to be burned "I need to talk to your father right away."

"What you need is rest, some food and water and a trip to the medics," Kasha told him firmly.

"No," Mikk said as firmly as he could manage in response "I have to speak with him. Something terrible has happened. The farm in Corzallez, it was attacked, by a Sith."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nach Viver walked through the streets of Corzallez's Commerce District. He carried an air of self importance in his white Council robes. The citizens stopped and looked at him with high regard just as he wanted them to. Nach approached a group of citizens who were chatting outside a nearby café.

He put on his best "man of the people" face. It was time to play his game "Good day to you," he greeted as genuinely as he could manage "And how does Paz find you on this, the eve of the New Moon Festival?"

"Oh not well, Representative Viver, not well," one of the men said, wringing his hands worriedly.

"And what is the trouble good man?" Viver asked.

"My neighbors, good Representative, their farm burned to the ground three days ago," the man replied "All dead, even the wee children."

Viver removed his hat "Such a shame," he remarked "And how did the burning begin?" he asked.

"Lightening," another man spoke up "Right out of nowhere, never seen such a thing before. It was as if the lightening itself sought vengeance against the house."

"My children will not enter our house at night," a third man said "They keep their blankets beneath the trees at the edge of our land."

The men began talking amongst themselves again. Viver stepped back from the conversation. As a child, he had grown up in Caribassa and had been privy to more than a few of Guisa Sal's stories. He turned and headed back to his residence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As a rule, the Council did not like being called into an emergency session. They especially did not enjoy it when the emergency session coincided with the Eve of the New Moon. The New Moon Festival was one of Pazla's most sacred days. The fact that it came once a month did not in anyway diminish its significance to the Pazlaian people, it was a day for lovers, family and friends, for feasting and celebrating, not for tedious meetings.

Yet on the Eve of the New Moon the Council of Elected Officials found itself convened at the behest of first Pana Sal and later a request by Nach Viver. The chamber was pact. Every representative had been informed of the nature of this meeting and had decided that their presence was needed far more in Pazzana than at home.

The Council Chair, Chairman Migasté Véo called the group to order "Representatives," he began in his clear booming voice "As you are all aware of by now, three days ago a farm in Corzallez was destroyed. A witness has come forward with some information that suggests that our planet now faces a deadly threat." Véo turned to the Darga Union balcony "You may precede Mr. Rashan."

Mikk stood up from his place beside Pana and nervously reached for the microphone. He had been to the medics and they had given him a cream that had worked wonders on his burns. From her place beside him, Pana flashed him a reassuring smile and gave his free hand a gentle squeeze. Mikk cleared his throat and allowed his eyes to drift closed for a second. _Just speak the truth,_ he reminded himself. It's what Pana had told him. The fact that the truth was so very terrifying would have to wait, he needed to tell these people what he knew.

"Three nights ago," he began "I was tending to the sniggles at the Kvaris farm," he paused "It was late and Mr. Kvaris had sent me out to the pasture because he thought he'd heard what sounded like a spiranaugh lurking nearby," he paused again, glancing down at Pana unsurely.

"You're doing fine," she whispered, giving his hand another gentle squeeze.

"There was no spiranaugh nor was there any sign of danger," Mikk continued "I headed back to the shed I'd been staying in when I saw him."

"Him," Kaustus Caudillo, the Lumnar representative, said indignantly into his microphone "How do we know it wasn't you who burned down the house of your employer?"

Murmurings of descent began amongst the balconies. The gentle rumble became a full on roar in mere seconds. Véo brought the murmurs to an end with a bang of his gavel "Mr. Rashan has been proven not to be the perpetrator," he said firmly, so as to put an end to any such descention.

After a moment, Mikk continued "He was just standing there. I called out to him but he didn't answer, didn't even look in my direction. It was like he didn't even see me, or didn't care," Mikk shut his eyes again, wanting so desperately to stop talking but there it was, Pana's hand in his, the gentle squeeze that urged him to continue. So he did "He raised his hands and the next thing I knew, lightening had engulfed the house."

He stopped again, tears coming to his eyes at the memories of the family screaming, of the Kvaris' children, attempting to escape but not being able to. The heat of the fire as it burned his hands as he attempted to reach them. The ugly gleam in the stranger's eyes as he advanced towards where Mikk stood. The awful feeling in the pit of Mikk's stomach as he realized that he was going to die, he remembered it all so clearly. He had just run, run for hours through the woods, run and prayed that the monster wouldn't catch up to him.

"Thank you Mr. Rashan," Véo said sympathetically "You may take your seat."

Mikk did as he was told and Pana slung an arm around her friend's shoulders "You did great," she told him as she patted his shoulder.

Véo turned to address the Council "From the information provided by Mr. Rashan as well as the Kvaris' neighbors, it has been determined that the culprit is almost certainly a Sith. The question now is, how do we protect ourselves from this new threat."

"Mr. Chairman," Pana was standing up now.

"The chair recognizes the representative from Darga Union," Véo waved an arm in her direction "You may speak."

"I propose that we lift the ban on interstellar travel," Pana's suggestion reignited the murmurings of descent in the Council chambers.

"Control yourselves," Véo reprimanded the group "I believe it would do us well to hear her out." When silence reigned again Véo turned back to Pana "You may continue representative Sal."

Pana nodded her thanks before continuing to speak "Pazla has no armies, no way to defend itself against such a threat as we face now-"

"And no way to defend ourselves against any invaders that you wish to invite to our doorstep, young lady," Caudillo said sharply.

"Nevertheless," Pana tried to appear undaunted by Caudillo's interruption "It may be our best chance. This Sith has struck without warning and there is nothing to suggest he won't do so again."

"There's nothing to suggest he will do it again," Caudillo griped.

Véo was about to reprimand him but Pana continued before he had the chance "He's a Sith, the desire to inflict suffering runs through his veins," her chilling words left even Caudillo silent. "We must recruit help from others in the galaxy. Empire or no Empire." she paused before she made her final statement. "I move that the ban on interstellar travel be lifted and that we send an envoy to enlist the help of anyone still loyal to the Old Republic."

"The motion has been made," Véo said "Does anyone second?"

"I second the motion," Pana turned to see the representative of Sigtan, a tall dark haired woman named Ryga Suel, standing and speaking clearly into her microphone.

"All in favor," Véo asked.

An overwhelming number of representatives voted yes, among them Ryga Suel, Nach Viver, the Sashibanin representative, the Invissani representative and the representative from the Mount Mariposa Collective. When all the votes were officially counted only one member of the Council stood apposed to lifting the ban, Kaustus Caudillo.

The Council paused for evening meal. Mikk and Pana made there way out to where kasha had been waiting for them. Pana was smiling triumphantly. In spite of the threat that Pazla faced, she was still eager to tell her father what she had accomplished.

"Who do you think they'll send?" Kasha asked.

"I'm not sure," Pana admitted as she took a seat at the table in the café "Probably a stuffy sort like Caudillo."

"We'll never get any help then," Mikk argued "Caudillo's not a diplomat. He won't greet the rest of the galaxy with open arms. If anything, he'll just give everyone a reason to stay away from Pazla."

"They ought to send you," Kasha said to Pana "You've always been the peace maker. You would be the ideal first encounter with our planet's people that the rest of the galaxy's had in ages."

"It can't have been that long," Pana remarked, after all, her father had been a boy when Pazla had still been a member of the Galactic Senate, hadn't he?

"It's been a while," Kasha said. History was not something that Pazlaian children were encouraged to study. No one usually knew much of anything before the ban on interstellar travel. The Galactic Senate and the Old Republic were only ever mentioned by Pana's father and referred to in a few Council documents. But the exact length of time that Pazla had remained hidden was a mystery to youths like Pana and her friends. And all the better, because if Pana knew that it had been millennia since Pazla had held a seat in the Senate then she would realize that her father had been hiding a deep, dark secret from her all her life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Guisa Sal shone his light on the path ahead of him, navigating his way through the Lumnar Catacombs. It had been months since he had been called here. Each time he was, he hoped that it would be his last time. The Lumnar Catacombs were a system of elaborate tunnels beneath Lumnar and they stretched far beyond the city's borders.

The catacombs were a tourist destination for most, those who came with holocameras and stuck close to their guides in the safe areas of the catacombs. But Guisa Sal was no tourist. He had never been a tourist on any of his trips here. Not in all his thousands of years of life.

He walked on for twenty feet more before turning and entering a large chamber. He felt the chill run through him, the familiar chill he always got when he entered this place. It was his eternal curse, to return here at the beck and call of the vile creature who had burdened him with so many lives worth of memories.

"Guisa, my dear friend," the creature said in its inhuman voice from somewhere within the cavernous space "How good it is to see you again." The chamber became illuminated by an eerie glow and the human shaped monster approached him.

Guisa bowed for he knew that not bowing to this creature would only incur the creature's wrath. "I am at your command, Lord Vindictous."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Uncle Luke!" Jacen Solo cried in delight, running from the bedroom where his mother, Leia Organa-Solo had been attempting to dress the six-year-old boy.

The youngster, clad in a tunic and his undergarments, ran full tilt for the apartment's entrance. His twin sister Jaina, already dressed, was already there. Luke was of course still several floors below on his way up but the incredible gifts in the Force that the Solo twins possessed told them that their beloved uncle was on his way.

"Jacen, get back here, and finish getting dressed," Leia attempted to command her eldest son. She found herself nearly bowled over by her husband who was balancing their youngest child, Anakin, atop his shoulders.

"Faster Daddy, faster!" the four-year-old boy squealed in delight as Han came to an abrupt stop in front of his wife.

"And what are you two up to?" Leia asked with a raised eyebrow.

Han's face took on a semi-guilty expression "Playing wild bantha tamer," he shrugged.

"Faster," Anakin complained from his perch "Daddy go," he bucked his tiny feet into his father's chest.

Han let out a small gasp "Gotta get going," he told his wife as he took off again at his son's command.

"You're not being any help at all!" Leia called loud enough to be heard over Anakin's peels of joyous laughter. She turned to C-3PO who stood in the middle of all the chaos.

The protocol droid was absolutely flustered which, if Leia wasn't embroiled in this current situation herself, she would have found quite amusing. She watched as Han nearly knocked the droid to the ground while taking yet another lap around the living area.

With a sigh and a half smile at her family's antics Leia managed to reach out and grab the wriggling Jacen just as the door chime rang, signifying that Luke had arrived. Leia opened the door for him and offered him a rather hurried greeting as she dragged Jacen back into the bedroom to finish dressing him.

Mara, who had been standing behind Luke and had gone unnoticed by Leia in her hurry, peered into the apartment, smirking as Han came to an abrupt stop, lifting Anakin from his shoulders and setting the little boy on the floor. "Which wild animal are you today, Solo?" Mara questioned, not bothering to conceal her laughter.

"Daddy's a bantha," Anakin answered as Han simply stood there, a slight pinkness creeping across his cheeks.

"A bantha," Luke knelt down so that he was face to face with the youngest Solo child "Wasn't he a bantha last week?" he enquired.

"Yeah," Mara commented "Try changing it up once in a while Solo."

Han ignored both of them. He was grateful when Jacen, now fully dressed, reemerged from the bedroom at full speed "Uncle Luke!" he shouted in delight.

"Jacen," Luke greeted. In his kneeling position, he was caught off guard by the six-year-old's momentum. He found himself sprawled on the floor.

Leia appeared in the living area only to nearly double over laughing at the sight of her brother, laying prone on the floor. All three of her children were now upon him. Mara stood behind him, failing miserably at trying to show even a modicum of composure. And Han, who was glad to no longer be the center of attention, had thrown his head back letting out a long peel of deep laughter that was distinctly him.

Luke managed to get himself into a sitting position. He had begun laughing as well. Leia came forward to help her brother escape from under the pile of children. Slowly but surely what passed for order was restored to the Solo residence.

Several minutes later, Luke and Mara were seated in chairs in the living area. The Solo children were unrelenting in there desire to be in close proximity to their uncle. Anakin sat upon Luke's left knee, while Jaina occupied his right. Jacen had to settle for sitting at Luke's feet.

Luke, Mara and the other adults chatted about this and that for a while. Leia, of course, had several questions to ask Luke about his personal well being. Luke contended, as he always did, that he was fine, receiving a rather nasty look from Mara for the statement which she knew to be untrue. The conversation continued for some time until 3PO interrupted the group.

"Mistress Leia," he began "There is an urgent communication from the Senate." Leia stood up and excused herself from the group.

"And how have you three been?" Luke asked, looking down at his niece and nephews.

"Fine," Jaina replied. Her answer struck Luke as sounding awfully guarded for a six-year-old.

"Fine," Jacen replied in a tone similar to his twin's.

Han, suddenly feeling like this was one of those "Jedi things" excused himself for no particular reason whatsoever. As much as Han Solo loved being a father, he was left with an uneasy feeling knowing that his children possessed a special gift, a gift that allowed them to be privy to a whole new realm of understanding and power, a world that Han himself would never belong in.

The two children, feeling that they could speak more freely with both of their parents out of earshot, exploded into a dizzying whir of words. "Hold it, hold it, hold it," Luke attempted to get the twins to calm themselves.

In the midst of the frenzy, Anakin slipped off Luke's lap, leaving room for Jacen to take his place. The four-year-old made his way to Mara's side and looked up at her expectantly.

Mara looked down at the boy. After a few seconds, she awkwardly picked him up and set him in her lap. She was not all too familiar with the youngest members of Luke's extended family. She had only accompanied her roommate today in hopes that she could convince him to confide in his sister about his visions and fears for the future.

Anakin turned in Mara's lap to face her. He stood in her lap and leaned over her shoulder to whisper in her ear "I'm scared for Uncle Luke."

Mara simply nodded, uneasily bringing a hand to rest on the youngster's back. She didn't want to admit it but she was beginning to feel scared for Luke as well.


	3. Chapter 3: Emergence

**The Pazla Crisis 1: The Hidden Planet**

**Chapter 3: Emergence**

**A/N: I'm going to do something this chapter that might help you understand some of my original material. Here are a few clarifications of some of the words and terms.**

**Paz = The name of the star in the Pazla system. Paz is also the Pazlaian God, masculinity, the harvest, strength and prosperity**

**Lim = Lim is the name of Pazla's only moon. Lim is also the Goddess of love, water, femininity and grace**

"**By Lim's tears" = An invocation amongst Pazlaians.**

**Wizza cake = A popular dessert on Pazla**

**Uvaroot bread = Bread made from the uvaroot. Highly nutritious and quite tasty**

**Aplastosis = It's like a blue carrot. You can tell I'm running out of good descriptions can't you?**

**A/N: Seriously guys. I'm getting a little nervous over here. I've gotten no reviews. I don't mean to sound desperate here but I like to know if I'm writing an enjoyable story. I need the feedback to tell me whether I should continue or just scrap the whole thing and begin again. I need to know if I'm writing Luke, Mara and the rest of the canon characters in an in character way. I would also like to know if my original characters are likable, if they are developing at a reasonable speed. I would like to hear your opinions on these things so I can use those opinions to become a better writer.**

"You should be the one to go," Kasha said as she and Mikk walked Pana back to the Council chamber for the late night session "Think of what would happen if the wrong person for the job went."

"I will not demand to be the ambassador of an entire planet," Pana told her "It is not my place." Pana knew her limits; she knew that she was capable of fairly representing the citizens of the Darga Union, advocating for them in the Council. But she could not represent a whole planet. She knew all of the citizens of the Darga Union. She was not familiar with all of the citizens of Pazla. She could not plead the planet's case to complete strangers, could she?

"Think if they send Caudillo," Mikk put in "Paz protect us. No help will come and we will be doomed."

"They could choose Viver," Pana said with a shrug.

Kasha stopped walking and spun Pana around to face her "All of a sudden you're singing the praises of Nach Viver?" she asked indignantly.

"No," Pana objected.

"But you are saying he'd be a better choice than you?" Mikk inquired.

"Well…" Pana trailed off.

"When have you ever conceded that Nach Viver would be better suited for anything?" Kasha asked. Her tone held a biting edge.

Pana looked down at her white Council robes. She had never felt comfortable walking around outside of the Council chamber in them. She straightened them, running her hands down the front, self consciously. She had never been able to allow Nach Viver to outdo her at anything when they had been at University together. So why, now that they were in a much more global setting was she willing to let him be chosen ahead of her?

Kasha and Mikk were right. If Caudillo or even Viver went out into the galaxy, their personalities would drive any help they sought to ignore them, or worse, view them as a planet to be conquered. Neither one would be viewed as an ally. Neither one would extend a hand of friendship, only an angry slap of entitlement.

Still, was Pana ready for this responsibility?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Véo called the session to order by banging his gavel quickly twice "We must decide who it will be who will lead this envoy," he stated "The floor is open to nominations."

Ryga Suel stood up and leaned into her microphone "I would like to nominate Pana Sal," she spoke deliberately and clearly, making eye contact with each representative in turn as if daring them to challenge her selection.

"Does anyone second the nomination?" Véo asked.

"I second," Pana's jaw dropped as she turned to her left to see none other than Nach Viver standing at his microphone and smiling at her, genuinely smiling.

"Do you accept, Representative Sal?" Véo asked her.

Pana looked at Ryga who was watching her expectantly. Then she looked at Nach, who was mouthing the words 'Go for it'. She stood up slowly and reached for her microphone. She tried hard to ignore the tight feeling in the pit of her stomach as she managed to force out the words "I accept the nomination."

"Are there any other nominations?" Véo asked, looking around the chamber.

With a slight twinge of delight, Pana noticed that Caudillo was glaring at some of Lumnar's closest allies in the Council and none of them looked to be making any move to nominate him. Pana caught sight of Ryga who was eyeing Caudillo's cronies as well. Pana wondered what kind of influence Ryga had over them.

"Are there any other nominations?" Véo questioned again.

Nach Viver was standing again "Mr. Chairman, I move that nominations be closed and that Pana Sal be appointed the leader of the envoy by acclimation."

"All in favor of closing nominations and appointing Representative Sal as the leader of the envoy by acclimation say Ay," Véo's voice boomed in Pana's ears.

"Ay," an overwhelming chorus of voices replied. Pana felt her heart beating faster. Could this really be happening? Was she actually being selected to represent the entire planet without any opposition whatsoever?

"All opposed?" Véo inquired.

"Nay," all alone, Kaustus Caudillo's voice sounded small, though everyone turned to him as his lone vote echoed throughout the room.

And just like that, it was over. No one else had even been considered for this job. Pana felt her throat tightening up slightly as she stood and reached for the microphone again. She took a few deep breaths. She wasn't ready for this. But she had to believe she was. She cleared her throat "Thank you everyone. I promise that I will bring back the assistance that our beloved planet desperately needs."

Caudillo was smirking as he leaned over his balcony, microphone in hand "And how do you expect to do that without a ship, young lady?"

Véo glared at Caudillo and was about to say something when Ryga spoke up "Sigtan has a ship in flying condition."

"Ah," Caudillo turned his attention to her "You've been planning a coo, have you? Help the girl overturn the space travel ban and send her off in a ship, then bring the Empire and its invading armies to our doorstep."

Pana didn't miss a beat "I would never bring the Empire to our planet," she said firmly, addressing the Council as a whole "You have chosen me and I will prove to you that your faith is not misplaced. I have no hidden agenda nor am I aware of any attempt at deception by Representative Suel. All of us gathered here today have one thing in common. We all want what's best for Pazla and we will get it," she stepped back from her microphone to thunderous applause.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It was found in a cave just a few years ago," Ryga Suel was saying as she led Pana and her friends to the small craft.

The group had taken an air speeder to Sigtonis. Ryga had been generous enough to provide them lodging in her home for the night. Ryga had woken them early and they had begun their trek up the mountain of Sigtan.

"It appears that it has been here at least since the ban was enacted some thirty four years ago," Ryga continued "Whoever hid it here saved us the trouble of waiting until a new ship could be constructed."

Ryga stopped in front of the craft. It appeared to be, from what Pana remembered about what her father had taught her about different classes of ships, someone's discarded leisure vessel.

"Are you sure this thing will fly?" Mikk asked.

"That depends," Ryga turned to look at the young man "Do you know any pilots?" And suddenly, another flaw in the mission had been revealed.

The three friends stood silent for a long moment. Kasha stepped forward "I know a thing or two," she said quietly.

Mikk and Pana turned to her questioningly "How could you know anything about piloting?" Pana asked. She didn't mean the question to come out as sharply as it had. But Pana's father had never taught her about piloting. She couldn't help feeling a bit jealous.

"My Uncle," Kasha admitted "He has an old starfighter that he keeps hidden in the desert. He gave me a few lessons over the past few Bellezas," Kasha allowed the news to sink in "He made me swear by Lim's tears that I wouldn't tell another living being," she said as way of apology.

"Well, that's settled," Ryga smiled "Now, the hyperdrive systems and ion engines are all in perfect working condition. Sigtan's best engineers have been working on the craft since we found it."

A sound from near the entrance of the cave caught the attentions of everyone in the group. Olima Sal, an overflowing satchel slung over her shoulder, rushed in "I'm not too late am I?" she asked.

"Mother," Pana's mouth was hanging open. She had contacted her mother the previous night but had told her that she and her group would not require any additional supplies.

"I had to bring these for you," Olima stopped in front of her daughter. Pana was already carrying a satchel of her own so Mikk offered to take Olima's burden from her. "You know how your father and I worry about you my child. And with your father away…" she paused and wrapped her arms around her daughter "I always knew that you were destined for great things Pana."

"Mother," Pana blushed "Please."

"I'm sorry my little Limling," Olima inadvertently used the pet name she hadn't called Pana since before her daughter had been elected to represent the Darga Union. "Now I've packed you five loaves of uvaroot bread and a healthy supply of aplastosis. You know, your father said that Maintaining a proper diet was one of the hardest parts of the life of a space traveler."

"Mother!" Pana finally interrupted "I will be fine."

"I know," Olima said softly "You know, I do worry about you."

"I know," Pana said, giving her mother one last hug "I will return. And I will be in good company," she gestured to Mikk and Kasha.

"I know you will," Olima sniffled as she turned to leave "I will be counting the days until you return, my Limling."

Once Olima had left the cave Mikk and Kasha boarded the craft. Kasha stood at the top of the boarding ramp "Come on Pana," she called.

"I'll be there in a moment," Pana called back. She stood there with Ryga for a long time in silence before she spoke the words that had been on her mind since Ryga had nominated her "Why me?"

Ryga smiled softly "Because, you Pana Sal are someone who puts the needs of your people above everything else."

"So do you," Pana argued "So do all the representatives."

"Maybe to some degree," Ryga said with an odd look upon her face "But you most of all child. The other representatives, myself included, we all have our own agendas."

"And am I just another part of your agenda?" Pana inquired.

"No," Ryga offered kindly "You are the one that I know will bring about our people's salvation."

Pana stared wide eyed at Ryga for a time. The tone in which she had spoken that last sentence reminded Pana too much of how Kasha sometimes spoke of things that had not yet come to pass.

She could not dwell on that thought long for Kasha reappeared at the top of the boarding ramp. "Pana, hurry up!" she called in a tone of agitation.

Pana turned towards the boarding ramp "Farewell," she called.

"Farewell," Ryga returned "And may the Force be with you," she whispered. The Force was something that Ryga was certain Pana and her friends had little knowledge of beyond the basic concepts of Jedi and Sith. Ryga was one of the few people on Pazla who ever used the parting words of good luck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure you can pilot this thing?" Mikk asked as the three strapped themselves in.

"Easy as Wizza Cake," Kasha said confidenly.

"But did you ever take your uncle's starfighter beyond the atmosphere?" Mikk asked, nervously.

"Lot's of times," Kasha told him "I've even traveled in hyperspace."

"How did you manage to keep this a secret from us?" Pana asked "After all the times we dreamed about flying as children?"

"Well," Kasha said honestly "When you left for University, a lot of things changed. You changed, both of you." Kasha was the only one of the three who had not attended the Pazzana University.

"Changed," Mikk said indignantly "How did we change?"

Pana sighed heavily. They hadn't even started moving yet. It was going to be a long trip. She knew Kasha was right, they really had changed. Granted Mikk had probably redeemed himself in Kasha's eyes by seeking a job as a lowly farmhand.

A few minutes later the conversation shifted "We never gave the ship a name," Kasha said in realization.

"Does it need a name?" Pana asked.

"Every ship needs a name. Even my Uncle's starfighter has a name," Kasha said with absolute conviction.

"What did he call it?" Mikk asked, curiously.

"The Kasha's Hope," Kasha replied glibly before continuing "But that's not the point. What happens when we meet up with someone who can help us? Are you going to identify yourself as Pana Sal, the diplomatic representative from Pazla aboard the unnamed ship?"

"I see your point," Pana said "What should we name it?"

"What about the Sal Rose?" Mikk suggested.

"Interesting," Pana remarked.

"The Sal Rose it is then," Kasha agreed.

Only a few minutes later, they had left the atmosphere and were looking down upon their planet. Even kasha, who had seen Pazla from space on her previous lessons with her uncle, was still amazed by the view. As they navigated out of the solar system they passed by Cuet. Cuet was the largest planet in the Pazla system. It was a gas giant of many colors.

Mikk and Pana stared at the planet for a long time until they had passed it. Both were amazed at how large it was. One night, long ago on a walk amongst the gardens of the Pazzana University, they had seen Cuet in the night sky. It had been early in Belleza and the two had been talking about plans for the future.

It wasn't long before they were out of the system and Kasha had entered hyperspace coordinates that Ryga had found for them. The plan was to head to Coruscant, avoid detection and appraise the situation. If they could find no allies at the Galactic Capital, they would head for other planets that Ryga had been able to find coordinates for.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Your mother makes the best uvaroot bread," Mikk told Pana as he sat on a bunk in the room that they had decided he would sleep in. He held a piece of the green bread in his hand.

Pana smiled softly as she reclined in a chair "I will be sure to inform her of your approval upon our return."

Kasha entered the room, holding an aplastosis in one hand. She took a seat and began to twirl the blue vegetable between her fingers "It will be several days before we reach the capital planet," she informed them before ceasing to twirl the aplastosis and taking a large bite from one end.

Pana got to her feet "I must practice my introduction to any potential allies," she said, excusing herself.

"She seems uneasy," Mikk observed.

Kasha took another bite of the aplastosis "She has been sent out into space with only us as companionship to represent our entire planet. I do not blame her for being ill at ease. My friend."

"Yes," Mikk agreed "I do not believe any of us are at ease given recent events."

Kasha nodded, chewing her mouthful of aplastosis thoughtfully. She could tell that Mikk could use a change of topic given what he had seen at the Kvaris farm. She swallowed the mildly sweet vegetable and spoke "What ever did happen between you and Pana at University?"

"What do you think," Mikk countered and Kasha wished she hadn't asked the question "I came home only to leave the town that I knew she would return to. If the farm hadn't been attacked, I most likely would never have come back."

"You realize," Kasha tried to speak reason to her friend "Pana is still your friend, even if she chose to expand her social circle."

Mikk huffed "She will always be my friend," he stated before adding in a lower tone "Always just a friend."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Guisa moved between the rows of cylinders, checking that settings were normal and that maturation was occurring on schedule. This had been his job for countless centuries.

He turned to the creature who kept him as the caretaker of this arcane laboratory "This seems to be the most suitable candidate Milord," he indicated one of the cylinders, the being inside stared back with a face identical to that of his demented master. He opened the cylinder and allowed the feeble minded thing to take its first step. The clone slumped forward and Guisa laid it on the ground before his master.

Within seconds, the wizened figure of the creature became a pile of ash and the clone body which lay upon the floor of the cave opened its eyes.

"Well done Guisa," Darth Vindictous praised in his slippery, evil voice. The creature, now at home in its new body, stood up "Perhaps it is time for you as well to be reborn," the vicious Sith Lord suggested.

"Milord," Guisa's tone was pleading as his gaze shifted to the row of cylinders whose occupants bore his visage "You promised that this would be my last life." More than that, Guisa could not return to his wife and children as a young man again.

"That I did," Vindictous mused "But, Guisa, you know I require your expertise with the cloning equipment."

"Milord," Guisa attempted to bargain "Surely by now, you yourself must know the finer points of the cloning process?"

"Perhaps you are right," a vile sneer appeared on Vindictous's face as he removed an object from his belt "Perhaps I do not require your services at all," a blade of red energy added its light to the eerie glow of the cavern.

Guisa fell to his knees before the beast who had forced him into lifetimes upon lifetimes of servitude "Perhaps, a few more months before the next rebirthing?" he pleaded "There are things still that I am useful for. I require only a short amount of time to say goodbye to my family."

"I can not allow that time, my friend," Vindictous informed him "The time is growing near. I must have you ready and able at your station. A battle is brewing, a battle that will be brought about by your own daughter."

"Pana," Guisa said in surprise "Milord, she is no threat to you. I beg you, do not harm her."

"It is not her that I will harm, dear friend," Vindictous spoke with ever more evil in his voice "But those she seeks to bring to the aid of this miserable planet and its worthless people." Vindictous swung the blade and Guisa's crumpled body lay before him.

The next thing Guisa Sal remembered, he awoke in yet another body, yet another lifetime of service to be spent at the beck and call of this villain.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What would it take for you to confide these visions to her?" Mara asked, irritated as they walked through the streets of Coruscant. She had spent the day with Luke, though she probably could have found other ways to spend her time.

It had been two days since young Anakin had confided to Mara his fear for his uncle. Luke had refused to return to his sister's apartment and any discussion of his visions or confiding in Leia about them, he had shut down almost immediately.

Luke had spent his days in the archives, searching for any mentions of Sith other than Vader or Palpatine and systematically eliminating them as suspects. Mara, having no other idea what to do, assisted him in whatever capacity he required but the ordeal was becoming tiresome.

"I want to know what I can expect before I go panicking her," Luke said as he turned a corner, Mara following after him.

Mara sighed heavily. Luke Skywalker was about as stubborn as they came. But she would seek to be even more so. "A Sith," she stated "You're up against a Sith, that's what you saw, isn't it?"

Luke stopped walking and turned to her. He hadn't shared that detail with her "How did you…?"

"Lucky guess," Mara said briskly, not ready to tell him about her own disturbing visions just yet.

Luke continued to stare at her for some time after she'd said that. Her mental shields went up immediately, keeping him out "Stay out of my mind," she warned him with a bitter edge to her tone. He turned away and the two of them continued their walk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pana was fast asleep when Kasha entered the room that the two women would be sharing. She lay down upon her bunk and attempted to fall asleep. Sleep was all but impossible though. Kasha's worries had been growing since they had left Pazla. She couldn't understand why, but she had a feeling, a feeling that something cruel and unjust, even now was happening on their homeworld. The feeling of a looming darkness seemed to hang over thoughts of her home. Finally, something akin to sleep took over her body.

Images assaulted her mind, unlike any dream she'd ever had before in her life. She saw Pana's father, Guisa, looking as he had when Kasha was young. When she had sat at his feet and listened to his stories of the galaxy. He was injured and Pana, not Pana as a child but Pana as she was now, was holding him.

Before the scene and its complete incongruity could register in Kasha's mind, the image changed. She, Pana and Mikk, along with a blond man whom Kasha had never seen before and a red haired woman who was equally unfamiliar, were standing in the middle of Lumnar. Darkness seemed to surround them on all sides. In the distance there, shadowy figures advanced. The unfamiliar man and woman drew weapons, lightsabers. Kasha had never seen one before but somehow she knew that's what they were. Blades of energy, one green and one violet sprang to life. They were Jedi!

The scene changed again. Kasha was looking down on Pazla from above in her uncle's starfighter. Through its viewport, she could see other starfighters of makes she did not recognize and larger ships, ships whose construction was foreign to her. Yet she could readily identify who were friendly and who were the enemy.

And now she was on a ship, not the Sal Rose but another ship. The blond man sat beside her and she in turn sat behind the pilot. The pilot was another man she did not recognize and beside him in the copilot's chair, was some sort of creature. It was unlike anything Kasha had seen in her life. It was huge and shaggy.

It wasn't long before another scene overtook the previous one. Darkness, a dark cell guarded by unfamiliar beings. A small boy stood beside her. The child could not have been more than five years old. She grabbed the boy and covered him with her body as weapons fire exploded around them.

And then Kasha was awake, sitting up in her bunk, breathing heavily, clinging to the fabric of the blanket. She could barely remember anything of the scraps that her mind had shown her which only left her feeling more confused and worried.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Anakin Solo tossed and turned in his bed. Something was preventing him from sleeping. Something was about to happen, something big. His four-year-old mind found it hard to organize the feelings as his body rolled from side to side, tiny feet kicking up the covers.

His nightmares lately had been different from those that he usually had. He saw planets and stars and ships. Being so young he was not familiar with most things in the galaxy but he could sense that these were places and ships far outside the understanding of most people. On top of the planets and stars and ships, there was one thing that made itself known above everything else, darkness.

Anakin sprang to his feet and ran for his parents' room. Within moments he was in his mother's arms, clinging to her as if his very life and soul depended on it. She whispered soothing words to him, rocking her youngest gently as he shook and began to cry.

"It's alright darling," she soothed "Mommy's here."

But her presence did not erase the fact that something was about to happen, something that would alter the lives of Anakin, his parents, his siblings and their uncle for ever.


End file.
